This invention relates generally to handbags and more particularly to a handbag with personal hygiene article holding compartments integral to the handbag in a convenient, easy accessible, discreet, and protective manner.
The primary objective of a compartmentalized handbag is to provide easy access to articles of various sizes that would find their way to the bottom and in complete disarray in a handbag with one large receptacle.
There are many organizers in the form of handbags. Prior art handbags have been designed with compartments to hold such items as wallets, checkbooks, credit cards, glasses, photographs and cosmetic items such as powder, lipstick, perfume, mascara, eyeshadow and the like. While the above items are a necessity, prior art forms have failed to provide for the additional needs necessitated by today's mobile society.
With the advent of women spending more time away from home, whether it be working, travelling, or shopping, it has become necessary to carry items such as paper toilet seat covers, sheet toilet tissue, paper towels, hand soap, air freshner, etc. to combat public facilities that are not properly equipped, maintained, or lacking in cleanliness, as well as other personal hygiene items such as hand lotion, toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, mouth spray, collapsible cup, etc. Many of these items can be carried in a conventional handbag, but are not readily and discreetly accessible or become damaged and thus unsuitable for their intended use.
The present invention has received wide acclaim for its unique solution of carrying the above mentioned items discreetly, while at the same time providing easy and quick access without rendering them unusable.
It is also essential to today's woman that a mirror be available at an instant for that last minute touchup before that all important interview, appointment, or date. The present invention provides an improved, convenient, and safely secured mirror.
The present invention patentably differs from U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,201, issued on July 17, 1979 to Bess Carp. Carp is not an organizer handbag, but rather a folding article organizer to be used in combination with another entity such as a carrying case.
The present invention is an integrated handbag and article organizer. The Carp Patent discloses a series of article storage compartments around the sidewalls and ends of an article organizer. One end wall provides for a series of open top storage compartments of the same width and depth.
A distinguishing feature of the present invention is the novel arrangement of the interior compartments which vary in width and depth around the periphery of the top opening of the central compartment of the handbag. This unique arrangement is not a mere matter of choice or design, but is essential to prevent articles varying in width and length from being swallowed by compartments of equal widths and depths.
The present invention provides for article holding compartments of various widths and depths to accommodate articles of various widths and lengths at a single plane which promotes quick and easy access to, as well as replacement of the articles.
Prior art structures disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,719,040 issued to Barol, British Pat. No. 246,342 issued to Ortweiler, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,938 issued to M. I. Siegel all disclose mirrors on flaps; however, the present invention patentably differs from these prior art proposals. Barol has a flap provided with a mirror. No mention is made regarding its attachment. From the illustrations, it appears the mirror is bare and secured by glue or some other bonding material. Siegel U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,938 also shows a bare mirror.
A bare mirror would present a safety hazard to the user should it break. The present invention overcomes this problem by providing a compartment with a flat transparent sheet which not only permits viewing through to the mirror, but also keeps any broken mirror fragments from spilling out until such time they can be disposed of safely.
Ortweiler goes one step further than Barol or Siegel U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,938 by providing a mirror in a rectangular frame; however, the rectangular frame is a "cutout" and would again not prevent the mirror from shattering if broken.
Ortweiler has an opening for inserting and removing the mirror which is held intact by a flap and an elastic strip and hook.
The present invention patentably differs from Ortweiler by providing a more secure mirror compartment. The mirror is enclosed by a transparent sheet and a sealable opening utilizing a hook and loop fabric fastener such as that marketed under the Trademark Velcro which secures the opening better than a flap, thus providing a secure and safe containment of the mirror.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,609 issued to M. I. Siegel provides a transparent sheet on a flap. The transparent sheet has seams separating it into compartments with slits in the transparent sheet to insert and display documents, etc.
The present invention is distinguishable from Siegel U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,609 in a number of ways. The present invention has a transparent compartment formed by placing a rectangular frame over the transparent sheet and the opening is formed by not stitching the fourth side, whereas Siegel U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,609 forms its openings by slitting the transparent sheet. The compartments formed in Siegel U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,609 are used for displaying documents, etc., while the present invention uses the compartment for the safe securement of a mirror. The slits of Siegel U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,609 are open and not sealable.
The transparent mirror compartment of the present invention solves the many problems not overcome by the prior art proposals. The present invention permits the mirror to remain unattached from the flap of the handbag, but provides a secure and safe transparent compartment which permits viewing without removing the mirror. Should the mirror break, the sharp mirror fragments are contained in the compartment until such time as they can be safely disposed. A new mirror can be replaced quite readily by simply placing another mirror through the opening in the compartment and securing it with the Velcro fastener to prevent it from slipping through the opening.
The present invention provides a novel compartment with a flap for dispensing sheet material such as paper toilet seat covers and sheet toilet tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 250,793 issued to M. I. Siegel has a dispensing compartment with a small tab. The present invention patentably differs from Siegel U.S. Pat. No. Des. 250,793. When the flap of the handbag of Siegel U.S. Pat. No. Des. 250,793 is opened, the dispensing compartment is not covered thereby exposing its contents to contaminants.
The present invention overcomes the problems not solved by the prior art. A small flap is attached at the bottom of the sheet dispensing compartments. The flap not only keeps the sheet material secure, but discreetly covers it and protects it from contaminants when the flap of the handbag is in an opened position.
The point of attachment of the flap is not a matter of mere design or choice. By placing the flap at the bottom of the compartment, the handbag user's view is not obstructed when it is carried on the shoulder. Also, the flap falls away from the dispensing slot, rather than over it, which facilitates the removal of the sheet material.
Siegel U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,938 (FIG. 12), provides for an accessory in the form of a pouch with an elongated cutout and an interior pocket formed by two flaps (FIG. 13) to hold tissue papers packaged in a small pop-up container. The pouch is to be carried as a separate accessory item in a second compartment or with other handbags.
The present invention patentably differs from Siegel U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,938 in many ways. The sheet material dispenser of the present invention is not a separate entity, but rather an integral part of the handbag. The only way the tissue dispenser in Siegel U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,938 can be used is by removing the pouch from the main handbag where it is kept in a second compartment. This procedure is more cumbersome and allows the tissue to become torn and soiled, thus not sanitary.
The present invention overcomes the many problems not solved by prior art. A small flap of the present invention protects the sheet material (paper toilet seat covers and sheet toilet paper) in the dispensing compartment as well as discreetly covering it from public view when the handbag is in an opened position.
As a result of the unique flap and slotted pocket arrangement of the present invention, when the sheet material is not needed and is protruding through the slot, it is covered by the small flap so as not to be entangled, torn or contaminated. Furthermore, there is no digging around in the handbag to find the tissue holder as disclosed by Siegel U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,938.
The attachment of the flap at the bottom of the dispensing compartment of the present invention facilitates the convenient use of the sheet material since the flap falls away from the dispensing slot permitting the user an unobstructed view in the removal of the sheet material.
The unique, improved flap and slotted pocket arrangement of the present invention is not shown in prior art.